The Complete Guide to Ricochet+Hornet

[TheRollingSlab 803]

The Complete Guide to: Ricochet+Hornet

 

Overview

This is actually quite a popular combination around the Lieutenant ranks, yet I constantly see players not taking full advantage of its potential. In this article, I shall explain how to use this combination to the best of its ability.

 

Statistics

 

 

 

 

Ricochet: A turret very similar to Twins, with high damage per second and strong impact force. A "clip" (the amount of ammo fired constantly without reloading) at M0 level has nine shots, a clip at M1 has 10 shots, at M2 it has 11 shots, and M3 it has 12 shots. At M0 and M3, a full clip will be able to destroy a Titan of the same modification most of the time, because the average damage per clip is more than the health of a Titan (of the same level). However, at M1 and M2, there is a much smaller chance of destroying one, due to the fact that the average damage per clip is less than the amount of health a Titan has (of the same level). Advantages of Ricochet are its high DPS and its ability to hit enemies behind cover using the "ricochet effect".  The disadvantages are the gun's range, and the ability to inflict damage on yourself from a rebounding plasma charge, which can be quite embarrassing.

 

 

 

 

Hornet: The most popular hull in Tanki, and for a reason. It is fast, easy and fun to use, but with proper skill, a deadly opponent. High speed makes it an efficient flag-stealer, and its health advantage over Wasp is invaluable when attempting to escape enemies (specifically against Shafts - you will find that a Shaft can one-shot kill a Wasp of the same modification*, but it requires two to kill a Hornet of the same modification). It is also a versatile hull, working well with any turret. The disadvantages are its low health, poor stability, and (if you have a Nitro active) the drifting trait, which is extremely annoying when trying to escape enemies in close quarters as you are constantly bumping into walls, slowing you down.

*With the exception of the M2 modification, in which it requires two hits from an M2 Shaft to kill an M2 Wasp.

 

General playing style

The absolute golden rule of this combination is to never, ever drive/sit in the open. Like, ever.

As you are driving a Hornet, the second lightest hull in the game, every single Railgun and Shaft will target you.

 

You can see the pesky Railgun positioned on top of a building

 

Going out in the open on a big map driving a light hull, with a weapon that has reasonably poor range, is not going to end that well.  The other big rule is to never, ever stop moving unless you are reloading behind cover. Always being in motion means that it is much harder to hit you, especially as you are using a nimble and small hull. Keep in mind that if your tank is moving forwards, you cannot rotate your turret while shooting. Another tip is to let your opponent get into a position that gives an advantage to you, such as leading them into cramped spaces, using the “ricochet effect” to hit them behind a wall/building.

 

The blue arrow signifies my direction of movement and the red arrow signifies my opponents direction of movement

 

Lastly, get creative with the “ricochet effect”. Whenever you think that it is possible for you to hit your opponent, shoot. You will find that the turret will auto-aim for you if your positioning is right. That is what makes this weapon truly unstoppable in the right hands; the ability to hit enemies from almost anywhere.

 

The area of the map one should play in/correct positioning

CTF

This combination is best suited for an attacking-midfield player. In other words, playing higher up in the middle of the map, patrolling the map’s enclosed areas or passageways,

 

 

 

Serpuhov map, playing for the blue team, showing enemy passageways

 

 

 

 

Iran map, playing for the blue team, showing enemy passageways

 

 

 

Fort Knox map, playing for the blue team, showing enemy passageways

 

and keeping watch on the entrances/exits to enemy territory.

 

 

 

Serpuhov map, playing for the blue team, showing the entrances to the enemy base

 

 

 

Iran map, playing for the blue team, showing entrances to the enemy base

 

 

 

Fort Knox map, playing for the blue team, showing entrances to the enemy base

 

You can also occasionally go in for the flag or help a teammate escape with it. Controlling the area in between the enemy base and “no-man's-land” (neutral battleground) is the ideal objective for this combination and will definitely benefit your team the most. But when positioned at your end of the map, the combination has a distinct lack of defensive capabilities. Hornet’s low health is not suitable to take on a group of opponents going for your flag head on . Ricochet is also not the best defensive turret, as it can only damage single enemies. Personally, I think the best turrets for flag defending are Thunder, Hammer, Firebird, Railgun, and Freeze, as they can damage numerous enemies at once.

 

CP

This combo is OK in CP. Using hornet it is better to use a close range weapon such as Freeze or Firebird. The idea is to shoot enemies from a safe distance while they are at a point, preferably while they are battling someone else.

 

TDM

Again, this game mode is best suited for medium to heavy hulls, and a gun with a decent fire rate/range. Ricochet has a decent fire rate, but the range and the reloading time is a huge disadvantage. With Hornet if you stay out in the open too long you shall get obliterated by Shafts, Vulcans, and Railguns camped around the map.

 

DM

This combo actually isn't that bad in DMs. Hornet has just enough health to survive for a decent amount of time and the speed to outrun almost every close range turret (because I almost never see wasps in DM). Ricochet for me is the perfect weapon for DM, even better than Firebird. The high DPS means that if you land all your hits, you should get a kill on your first clip. Then Hornet has the speed to dart behind cover and reload. Rinse and repeat until you die, but be sure to switch covering positions all the time to keep your enemies from predicting your movements.

 

How to attack various hulls/turrets

If attacking a heavy hull such as Titan or Mammoth, try to make sure he/she is occupied with a different player, as you alone will not be able to destroy them head-on (unless you have a Double Damage active or your opponent has a short range turret, so you can attack them from afar without retaliation). If the tanker is not occupied, then try to hit them a few times when they are not looking, then quickly retreat to cover while your weapon reloads. Rinse and repeat until you or your opponent is destroyed. Despite all this, it is actually best to stay away from heavy hulls, as this strategy does not work well in all situations, and as you should know by now, attacking a heavy hull head on almost always ends badly.

 

Attacking medium hulls is significantly easier than attacking heavy or light hulls, as medium hulls don’t have the speed to dodge your projectiles or the health to survive a Ricochet’s full clip. Again, attack your opponent when they are distracted/unaware of your presence. If you get two or three shots in before they notice you, your tank should win the battle, as long as you don't stand still the whole time.

 

Light hulls are a bit of a pain to tackle, but if your aiming skills are strong then you should dispose of them quickly. The trick is to aim slightly in front of them, unlike heavy and medium hulls where you can get away with aiming directly at them.

 

When dealing with enemies carrying mid to long range turrets, like Thunder, Railgun, Vulcan, and Shaft, it is best to attack them from close range. For Thunder, try to get right next to them, as they can hurt themselves with the splash damage trait. For Vulcan and Shaft, attack while circling around them, as the rotation speed of these weapons is very slow.

 

For Railgun, there is a special trick. Get very close to your opponent, and circle tightly around him/her. Their turret should follow you as you turn. Keep going in the same direction, constantly firing at them. When your enemy’s gun begins to charge up, (the light appears at the end of the weapon) quickly change directions. If timed properly, your opponent will not have time to correct themselves, and therefore, miss, leaving you completely unscathed and with an extra kill to your score.

 

Close range weapons are a Ricoteer’s nightmare. Hornet, however, has the speed to escape close combat weapons mounted on anything other than other Hornets and Wasps. If you do have one of the following on your tail, drive into a narrow passage and lay a mine down.

 

 

This will either kill or cripple your opponent, depending on if they have a Double Armor active or the modification level of the hull.

 

If this doesn’t work then you have no choice but to battle head on. Ricochet has a higher DPS than Freeze, so going head-on with them is not a bad call, as long as you don’t let them get behind you. As with Firebird, well, your survival is highly unlikely if you get too close. Even if you do kill them, the burning effect should kill you afterwards, unless you have a friendly Isida or Freeze close by.

 

Why pick Hornet over Hunter or Viking?

Hornet has one massive advantage over its heavier counterparts: speed. First, the speed of the hull is extremely useful in escaping short range weapons, which are Ricochet’s weakness. Secondly, being able to retreat to cover quickly is crucial on the battlefield, as the faster you get to cover, the less time you expose your hull while your turret is reloading. Finally, speed opens up a much more attacking style gameplay, free from flag protection duties. You can play as a central midfielder, controlling “no man's land” as a Viking or Hunter would, you can play as an attacking midfielder, or you can switch to an aggressive flag stealer, playing in a similar type to that of the Wasp and Firebird combination.

 

Conclusion

One of my favorite combinations in the game. Its versatility is superb, and with Hornets speed and Ricochets “ricochet effect” allows you to move swiftly into space where you can hit various enemies, even when they are hiding behind cover. My one criticism of it is its poor ability in dealing with multiple enemies at once, as Hornet has low health and Ricochet can only damage single targets. So when you are playing DM, if you still want to use Ricochet, go for a heavier hull. Apart from that, this combo, if used wisely, can make you an extremely challenging opponent.

 

-TheRollingSlab

Edited May 10, 2016 by GoldRock
Fixed image links, added spoilers.

[DragonOfStorms 2,706]

Preach. Preach! This was actually my preferred combo for a  long time, from to . Then again from to . I think you did a good job covering the main points of the combo, nice work! 

[Quarks 2,255]

Well written, However, you are preaching to the choir, as this combo is notorious for not turning a turret.

[Hex 11,520]

Impressive ^_^

[Zenyth 6,494]

ricochet hornet better than using wasp with that ..... I was using it at early WO ranks, but now I prefer viking

good article, pretty thorough

[GrandExecutioner 1,403]

Very detailed. Nicely done!

[NERF836 202]

Rico and hornet is like freeze and wasp it's just not right.